


A Smile is the Beginning

by pinkskyline



Category: Sex Education (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-01-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:53:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22325896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkskyline/pseuds/pinkskyline
Summary: The fallout of a grand declaration.
Relationships: Eric Effiong/Adam Groff
Comments: 15
Kudos: 326





	A Smile is the Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers for season 2.

Much later, after he dropped Eric off at his house and waved to Eric’s adorable family, peaking at them through the window, Adam arrived home. His mother sat at the kitchen table with a cup of tea and a sleeve of Hobnobs. She looked up at him and smiled. “I heard you took my advice.” 

Adam smiled back, feeling a little self-conscious about how much he’d smiled since he threw up his feelings all over the school stage. He hadn’t had much to smile about the past year. He turned grabbed a cup and poured himself some tea and sat down. “I should have been listening to you and ignoring dad all along.”

His mom sighed. “I’m afraid I didn’t stand up for either of us very much. I thought since he was the teacher he’d know what was best. It seemed to work with your sister. I should have protected you from his…from him. I should have made you feel safe here. When I saw the look on your face when you realized you’d have to leave that creepy old school and come home—when I realized you’d rather stay there with strangers than come home with us—I knew I hadn’t made it much of a home for you.”

“You did fine, mom,” Adam said. He smiled again, unable to stop himself.

His mom laughed. “You’re smitten with this boy, aren’t you? Tell me about him.”

The next day, Adam enrolled in school. It was much easier to do now that his dad wasn’t around to block him from coming back. Apparently his father hadn’t written much of what he’d actually done to be expelled in his file, so the fact that he’d been expelled became another thing that the superintendent thought should be investigated.

Adam said goodbye to his mom and went to wait for Eric at his locker. They’d made an early appointment so he had a while to wait. He was a little nervous about what the rest of the school would think of him being bisexual. Obviously the drama nerds didn’t care but other people might. He looked up and saw Eric approaching wearing a yellow patterned shirt. Otis looked pale and washed out beside him. If Eric was brave enough, Adam could pretend to be, too. 

Eric bounced a little on his feet when he saw him there. “I knew it’d all work out. Let me look at your schedule.”

Adam handed it over. He glanced over at Otis. “Hey, New Kid.”

Otis gave a sickly smile.

Eric continued his conversation with Otis about whatever had him looking even more like a Victorian ghost than usual, and then looked up from the schedule. “We have Science, Lit and Maths together.”

Adam took the schedule back. “You want to do homework together? My mom hasn’t even met you and she loves you, so you’d be welcome at mine anytime.”

“Well, my mom has met you and she loves you, so same.”

Adam grinned. “My mom doesn’t walk in to my room without knocking.”

“Let’s study at yours tonight. I’ll help you catch up if you’re behind in anything.”

Adam reached over and took Eric’s hand, and they walked down the hall. No one gasped or clutched their pearls. Adam looked over at Eric. “No one seems too surprised.”

Eric laughed. “You don’t have social media, do you? There’s a video of you being peak romance going around. Everyone’s already said what they’re going to say about it.”

Adam pulled him closer. “I’m sure you’re loving that, you attention whore.”

Eric laughed again. “You say you don’t like everyone talking about you, but action speak louder, man. I’m not the one getting up on tables and pulling out my dick or otherwise making a spectacle of myself.”

Otis looked from one of them to the other. “You two are the weirdest couple I’ve ever seen.”

Adam pretended offense. “Some sex therapist you are. Shaming us for our love language.” He stopped outside the gymnasium.

Eric was still laughing at his joke. If he’d known Eric would laugh at his jokes if he was nicer to him, he’d have done it years ago. Eric leaned over and pecked his mouth, not even a second’s hesitation. As if overnight Adam had stopped being a coward. Adam leaned into it and turned it into a longer kiss. Eric grinned and walked into the room, pulling Adam behind him.

It was the first time he’d ever enjoyed assembly. Everyone looked at him when they saw his dad wasn’t conducting the assembly, and when they realized his dad was on leave, but he just held Eric’s hand tighter. 

Afterwards, Eric walked him to his class. “Bye Adam.”

Adam turned into his homeroom. School was a lot less friendly without Eric beside him, but he saw Ola sitting by the window and walked over. “Hola, Ola.”

Ola rolled her eyes, but smiled. “Wow, so original. You in dad-joke training?”

Adam threw her a smile. “Wasted all my best material today on Eric.”

“Aww. I saw you kissing him before assembly. You two are adorable.”

“Don’t tell anyone.”

She leaned back on her chair. “The secret’s out, mate. Everyone knows you’re a sweetheart now.”

They got through lessons and lunch, which Adam bought for Eric (he’d promised to buy him lunch indefinitely to make up for stealing his for so long), and afternoon classes, and then they went back to Adam’s. 

His mom fussed over Eric for quite a while and gave them snacks to eat while they studied, and then said she was going out for a bit.

Eric and Adam were alone upstairs. Eric smiled and then frowned suddenly. He stood and looked out the window.

Adam put the snacks down on the bed. “We don’t have to do anything. I mean we can study. I know you were with Rahim before. Like yesterday. I know it wasn’t fair of me to do that in front of everyone when it forced you to hurt him.”

Eric laughed. “It wouldn’t have had the same effect if you’d warned me you were going to do it and given me a chance to break up with him.”

“Well, it was selfish of me.”

“You’re allowed to be selfish. I was selfish when I took your hand. I looked at him. He shook his head. Begged me with his eyes not to. But I did it. I’d do it again. But maybe you’re right. Maybe we should just study tonight.”

They studied for a while—their intentions were good—but then they fooled around a lot. Like a lot a lot. Adam was surprised at how easy it was to adjust to having sex with a guy instead of a girl. Maybe it was because he’d imagined it so many times. But his imagination paled beside the reality of all that beautiful skin. Of his touch. Of touching him.

They put their clothes back on and lay back down, opening their books.

He looked over at Eric and smiled.

Eric ran a finger down his face. “You smile now. You know they say a smile is the beginning of love.”

“I’ve been smiling for a while now.”

Eric’s eyes opened wider. “Yeah. Me too.”


End file.
